"When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."" (Matthew 16:13-16)
The above passage might be just a short conversation between Jesus and His disciples, but in it is a very important foundation, one that every Christian should know and believe, and communicate to every creature in the world:
That Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.
Why is it so important for us to know this truth? Is it really necessary? Let's talk about that.
The Son of the living God
Many people around the world hear and know that Jesus Christ, according to the Bible, is the Son of the living God.
They know, according to Scripture, that He was supernaturally conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin woman, lived as a real human being, shed tears, suffered, shed blood, died, was buried, and rose from the grave.
To many, however, these things are but stories -- stories that motivate and inspire and comfort and all that. This goes for some Christians too.
Simon Peter's reply to Jesus' question, however, is not like some bookish response to a Q-&-A session, like how kids would answer their kindergarten schoolteacher.
His reply is something that came from a revelation of who Jesus really was:
- That despite being human with flesh and breath and emotions, He was and is God;
- That despite being limited by time and space in a human body, He was and is God;
- That despite being destined for death on the cross for a sin not His, He was and is God.
Think about this:
- Peter and the other disciples saw Jesus day-by-day, eating and walking and talking and laughing.
- He saw Jesus heal the sick and calm the raging seas (see Matthew 8).
- He saw Jesus feed thousands of people miraculously (see Matthew 14:13-21).
- He saw Jesus walk on water and more, for He had allowed him to walk on water too (see Matthew 14:22-33).
Peter, with his eyes opened to the truth about this seemingly unattractive carpenter who did good things, had the revelation that in front of him all this time was the Messiah, the Son of God who was sent to destroy all the works of the devil and free all of mankind from sin, allowing them to have a relationship with the Father.
And so,
"Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 16:16-17)
Why is this important?
Why is this important, you ask? Well, unless we believe this truth, we'll never be saved.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)
Our salvation comes only by way of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Unless we believe in Him, we will never be saved, will never be freed from sin, and will never have a relationship with God.
